The charge followed an investigation by the Harris County Sheriff's Office cold case unit. Before going to trial, Miles pleaded guilty to a less serious offense, first-degree murder, according to online court records.

An arrest warrant issued last year states that Miles met two Florida men, Bill Migues and Bob Holley, at a Greenspoint area bar in September 1990.

A woman who dated Holley told an investigator that the Florida men had come to Houston to buy several hundred pounds of marijuana, the arrest warrant stated.

After reopening the case last year, the investigator went to Louisiana to talk to Miles, who admitted taking part in a deal with the two men for 300 pounds of marijuana.

Miles told the investigator that he was working with a second suspect and initially believed the other man would supply the marijuana.

Eventually, Miles admitted he knew there was no marijuana to sell but continued to let the Florida men believe there was, according to the arrest warrant.

Miles told the investigator that he and the other suspect, who was not named in the complaint, arranged to meet the Florida men at a self-storage lot in the 4300 block of Spring Cypress under the pretense of delivering the marijuana.

According to Miles, the other suspect shot the two men and, when one didn't die immediately, ordered Miles to finish the job, the warrant stated.

The two buried the victims in shallow graves near the Hardy Toll Road, the warrant stated.

From the false drug deal, Miles said he got $50,000, and the other suspect got more than $200,000, according to the arrest warrant.